Courses
Hand Puppet Fabrication
Nikki Rice
Born and raised in Seattle, Nikki moved to California to attend college, receiving a BFA in Film Production in 2002 from Chapman University. For the next 6 years she worked various office jobs in the film industry while also earning a Masters Degree in Secondary Education. In 2006 Nikki decided to shift her career to Special Effects Make-Up working at Creature FX studios and from there segueing into the stop motion world, beginning in 2008 with Shadow Machine on the Adult Swim hit show, Robot Chicken: Season 3. Nikki has worked as a puppet fabricator, lead fabricator and department head on numbers stop motion television shows, commercials and films, helping create iconic stop motion characters for such shows/films as Happy Honda Days (Socal regional commercial campaign for the last 12 years), Ask the Story Bots, Buddy Thunderstruck, Anomolisa and Ted Lasso to name a few. In 2022, the next adventure brought Nikki back home to Seattle to be closer to family and to hang out her own shingle as Puppets Northwest, offering a one stop shop for puppets of all kinds, SFX, 3D modeling/printing and educational outreach of all of the above.
Polymer Clay Sculpting
Kyungjin Kim (KJ)
Kyung-jin Kim is originally from South Korea. He received his MFA Sculpture at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago in 2016. He utilizes diverse mediums to approach the substance of liminality inherent to dislocation, translation and adjustment. Through sculpture, kinetic devices, and interactive sound installations, His work has shown at venues include Gallery MC (NY), Korean Cultural Center NY, MASS MoCA Open Studios (MA), Vermont Studio Center (VT), Governors Island Art Fair 2018 (NY) RU Exhibition: DYNAMIS, Equity Gallery (NY), Rubin Museum Block Party (NY). He participated ACRE Residency (WI) MASS MoCA Residency (MA), Vermont Studio Center Residency (VT), Flux Factory Residency (NY) Sculpture Space Residency program, Utica (NY), RU Residency program, New York and recently had a Solo exhibition ‘Wishful Thinking’ at the Thomas Hunter Project Space, 2022, CUNY Hunter College New York.
He received the NYSCA/NYFA Artist Fellowship, category of Architecture/ Environmental Structures/ Design in 2019, New York Corp Artist Fund in 2021 and the Queens Council on the Arts : Art Access Grant in 2021. He is a co-founder of the New York based artist group, "Jeju Island Artist Collective" and curated a Flux Factory annual major exhibition titled, "Survival Tools for Artists for the Age of Ultra Anxiety" in 2021, Plaxall Gallery, Queens, NY)
Explorations in Papermaking
Brad Taylor
Bradley Taylor is a Seattle based artist, and printmaker. He is currently working at Cornish College of the Arts as the Printmaking Studio Technician. Proficient in all forms of printmaking Bradley specializes in woodblock prints. His work has been shown in numerous galleries in the Seattle area. He has also work collaboratively with many notable Seattle Artists.
Life & Still Life Drawing
J. Gordon
J. Gordon brings over two decades of experience as an artist, educator, and curator, to his classrooms. Gordon earned his BFA and MFA in painting from the University of Kansas and the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts respectively. While his current professional practice centers primarily around the medium of drawing, he incorporates aspects of traditional and contemporary painterly practices in both his teaching methods and mixed media art works.
Gordon is a recipient of multiple scholarships and awards, as well an artist fellowship from the state of Delaware. He has taught drawing at many colleges, art centers, and museums including the Tacoma Art Museum and the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts. He is currently represented by Gallery Strega, where he also plays a supporting role in exhibition design and curation.
Introduction to laser cutting for sculpture
Casey Curran
I find myself drawn to the foundation of things, to the root of their cause and the long cycle of their existence. It’s a fascination with structures laying between the very vast and the very small. A desire to see a system writ into the nature of things, defining every surface, every thought and idea. A simple piece of humanity laying somewhere between stars and bones, summoning the great and small triumphs of our innumerable endeavors.
Focusing primarily in sculpture, but not limited to any specific medium, I create kinetic environments with an internal logic and history often propelled by a simple hand crank. I invite the viewer to become a part of the work through participation, animating a tableau of flora and fauna that bloom or flutter to life when activated. When conceiving my pieces I center on a hidden narrative and assign visual elements that aline with the concept of the piece, often utilizing ornate structures and simple construction methods to further highlight my interests in Nature, foundation and form. When creating my work I look for patterns in the environments around me, trying to tease out symmetry in their ecosystems. I look for how innovation shapes itself into our ever expanding systems of complexity and knowledge. I create work that attempts to straddle the concepts of chaos, pattern, and emergence. These are the pillars I search for, the thoughtful hands that hold my metaphors.
Explorations in Papermaking
Brad Taylor
Bradley Taylor is a Seattle based artist, and printmaker. He is currently working at Cornish College of the Arts as the Printmaking Studio Technician. Proficient in all forms of printmaking Bradley specializes in woodblock prints. His work has been shown in numerous galleries in the Seattle area. He has also work collaboratively with many notable Seattle Artists.
Introduction to Patterns & Printmaking
Brad Taylor
Bradley Taylor is a Seattle based artist, and printmaker. He is currently working at Cornish College of the Arts as the Printmaking Studio Technician. Proficient in all forms of printmaking Bradley specializes in woodblock prints. His work has been shown in numerous galleries in the Seattle area. He has also work collaboratively with many notable Seattle Artists.
Exploring Contemporary Asian Abstraction
Soo Hong
Soo Hong is a visual artist whose work explores issues surrounding cultural identity. Having lived and exhibited in places around the world, including, London, Shanghai, her native South Korea, and now the U.S., her experience of varying cultural norms and expectations has precipitated her observational practice. Her paintings represent an unbound freedom of expression released of any formal adherence to a determined identity.
Her work has been shown in galleries around the world, and she has been awarded grants from D&AD (London), GAP (Seattle), Bellevue Arts Program (Bellevue) and was a finalist for the Neddy Awards (Seattle). She had her solo shows in Seattle at Linda Hodges Gallery and AMcE Creative Arts gallery. Her work is part of the permanent collections at the Seattle-Tacoma International Airport, the city of Bellevue, and the city of Portland. She created public art installations for Redmond Lights, Odessa Children's Hospital (Seattle), and The Vera Project (Seattle).
Introduction to Patterns & Printmaking
Brad Taylor
Bradley Taylor is a Seattle based artist, and printmaker. He is currently working at Cornish College of the Arts as the Printmaking Studio Technician. Proficient in all forms of printmaking Bradley specializes in woodblock prints. His work has been shown in numerous galleries in the Seattle area. He has also work collaboratively with many notable Seattle Artists.
Books by Hand
Carolyn Hall
Carolyn Hall is a writer, novelist, theatrical costume designer, artist, and educator. She was born in Seattle and was in the first class at the Evergreen State College. She has also studied Spanish in Guatemala, painting and ceramics at Cornish College of the Arts, and Creative Writing at the University of Washington. She is an alumnus of The Cottages at Hedgebrook. Carolyn co-authored and co-illustrated the children's book, In My Village (2014), which was written in Khmer and English, with Lauren Iida (Cornish graduate), and other Cornish artists. Her novel, Rose Concannon, was published in July 2016.
Carolyn has been a life long educator and has taught all age levels in the Seattle Public Schools. She has also taught at Antioch University, the Muckleshoot Tribal College, the Seattle Gypsy Alternative School (a program for Romany children), and the Hugo House. She has taught education, creative writing and book-making at Antioch University since 2000. She began teaching Integrated Studies and writing courses at Cornish College of the Arts in 2008. She is also the mother of two adult children.
PAPERCUT!
Larry Calkins
Larry Calkins was born in 1955 in Corvallis, OR, and grew up in a small logging community named Harlan. He stepped into the family tradition of working within logging operations, but after serious injuries in logging accidents, he decided to pursue his obvious talents in the arts. He has lived in London, England, and has traveled widely throughout the US and Europe.
In the early 80s up until 2003 he worked in photography related fields in Portland, OR and Seattle, WA. In the late 80s he and his wife, a former architect, began building their house near Issaquah, WA, where they have lived for the past 26 years with numerous pets, chickens and 2 mules. Larry works daily in his studio and in his metal shop -- or in the sometimes sunny, but often wet and cold outdoors.
Beginning in 2003, Larry Calkins has been Artist in Residence at the Museum of Glass in Tacoma, WA, for several years in a row. He is also an instructor at Pratt Fine Arts in Seattle and several other teaching venues in the Seattle area, including the Kirkland Arts Center, NW Encaustic in Seattle, Winslow Art Center on Bainbridge Island, artEast, Issaquah, and he has taught Art Workshops in Italy, Hawaii and Sun Valley, Idaho.
Mastering Pen
Maja Sereda
Maja Sereda is an environmental artist, teacher and coach. Born in Poland, Maja has dedicated her life to transcribing and sharing her experiences in nature. Working with pen, graphite, color pencils, charcoal and mixed media, her highly detailed drawings explore the myriad connections between human beings and the natural world. Her drawings have been shown throughout the US, Europe, and South Africa.
After studying graphic design at University of Pretoria and working as an art director in advertising agencies, both in South Africa and Ireland, Maja became an award-winning book illustrator. She has illustrated more than 20 books with many major publishers including Penguin Random House, Maskew Miller Longman, Oskar Editeur, Tafelberg & Lapa Publishers. Amongst others, she won the Crystal Kite award in 2011 and the Katrine Harries Award for best illustration for 2010. In 2012, she was also invited to illustrate a book with a French author, Yves Pinguilly titled La Grande Fleur (The Big Flower), followed by an invitation to Salon du Livre fair in Paris, France and La Reunion, where she showcased her books and led art workshops for children.
Now based in Seattle, Maja is a teaching artist and coach. With the outbreak of COVID, she began teaching drawing classes online. By investing deeply in her students’ work through highly individualized feedback, research and demonstrations, she nurtures an online community of over 250 artists.
With a deep passion for nature, drawing and community, Maja operates Guardians of the Jungle, a creative project which aims to save endangered wildlife and protect precarious ecosystems.
Public Art 101
Tory Franklin
Tory Franklin is a visual artist working with diverse media unified by pattern, print, and narrative. Since 2010, Franklin has focused on public installations inspired by folktales that are accompanied by screen-printed books, posters, and other ephemera. Her work has been exhibited at MAD Art, Bellevue City Hall, Storefronts Seattle, Storefronts Auburn, Spaceworks Tacoma, the Renton Arts Commission, Arts-A-Glow festival, Portland Winter Light Festival, the VERA Project, and 826 Seattle. She has received a Seattle Office of Arts & Culture City Artists project grant, a 4Culture project grant, and an Artist Trust GAP grant for these projects. In 2015, Franklin created her first permanent window piece with her sister, Eroyn Franklin, for Harborview Medical Center, and is currently working on SoundTransit’s Star Lake light rail station in Kent slated to open in 2024.
Accordion Book Workshop
Soo Hong
Soo Hong is a visual artist whose work explores issues surrounding cultural identity. Having lived and exhibited in places around the world, including, London, Shanghai, her native South Korea, and now the U.S., her experience of varying cultural norms and expectations has precipitated her observational practice. Her paintings represent an unbound freedom of expression released of any formal adherence to a determined identity.
Her work has been shown in galleries around the world, and she has been awarded grants from D&AD (London), GAP (Seattle), Bellevue Arts Program (Bellevue) and was a finalist for the Neddy Awards (Seattle). She had her solo shows in Seattle at Linda Hodges Gallery and AMcE Creative Arts gallery. Her work is part of the permanent collections at the Seattle-Tacoma International Airport, the city of Bellevue, and the city of Portland. She created public art installations for Redmond Lights, Odessa Children's Hospital (Seattle), and The Vera Project (Seattle).
Portrait Demonstration
Renee Plevy
Award-winning Palm Beach/New York portrait artist, Renée Plevy, has captured the attention of art lovers, students and aficionados for more than 40 years. Renée’s paintings have been featured in more than 65 shows and galleries, including a one-woman museum show at the Paterson Museum. She has received national attention and garnered numerous awards including “Artist of the Year” from The Bloomfield Art League and First Prize from the Boca Raton Museum Artist’s Guild.
Starting in 2011, she has founded “Portrait of a Woman”, which annually raises monies for Quantum House by honoring prominent Palm Beach Woman at a special luncheon. Six oil portraits are unveiled at the luncheon, all of which become part of a legacy portrait series for Palm Beach County.
Renee now does extensive teaching of her craft at the Boca Raton Museum Art School, and special workshops at the Mandel Public Library in West Palm Beach, and The School of Visual Arts in Jupiter.
Frequently called upon for special projects, Renee has found herself painting a portrait of Vanilla Ice for his Vanilla Ice Project television show, as well as being a part of it. Doing television and radio are always a fun part of being a bit of a celebrity in the Palm Beach community.
When a member of the art community in New York City, her art studio in 41 Union Square was always jumping with activity, between teaching portraiture at the School of Visual Arts, and being a part of the Artist Equity Committee to find a visual arts center for the tri-state area for the 16 national art organizations based in NYC.
Having studied under internationally renowned portrait artists, John Howard Sanden, David Leffel, Robert Beverly Hale, and Clyde Smith, she has developed her own style using classical museum quality techniques.
As a colorist, interpreting personalities through upbeat colors, Renee has incorporated magnificent South Florida tropical colors into her portraits, resulting in joyous life like paintings.
Making Tintypes and Ambrotypes
Winnie Westergard
Winifred Westergard is a Seattle based fine art and commercial photographer with degrees from the University of Washington and Cornish College of the Arts in Creative Writing, Journalism and Art. Her art making foundation is rooted in the early processes of photography, fully embracing the slow processes of 19th century photography. She is a visual creator with a strong base on human emotion and storytelling. She has managed the photography studio at Cornish College of the Arts since 1999 and has taught Photography and Portfolio Development through Summer@Cornish since 2003.
Beginning Painting
Renee Plevy
Award-winning Palm Beach/New York portrait artist, Renée Plevy, has captured the attention of art lovers, students and aficionados for more than 40 years. Renée’s paintings have been featured in more than 65 shows and galleries, including a one-woman museum show at the Paterson Museum. She has received national attention and garnered numerous awards including “Artist of the Year” from The Bloomfield Art League and First Prize from the Boca Raton Museum Artist’s Guild.
Starting in 2011, she has founded “Portrait of a Woman”, which annually raises monies for Quantum House by honoring prominent Palm Beach Woman at a special luncheon. Six oil portraits are unveiled at the luncheon, all of which become part of a legacy portrait series for Palm Beach County.
Renee now does extensive teaching of her craft at the Boca Raton Museum Art School, and special workshops at the Mandel Public Library in West Palm Beach, and The School of Visual Arts in Jupiter.
Frequently called upon for special projects, Renee has found herself painting a portrait of Vanilla Ice for his Vanilla Ice Project television show, as well as being a part of it. Doing television and radio are always a fun part of being a bit of a celebrity in the Palm Beach community.
When a member of the art community in New York City, her art studio in 41 Union Square was always jumping with activity, between teaching portraiture at the School of Visual Arts, and being a part of the Artist Equity Committee to find a visual arts center for the tri-state area for the 16 national art organizations based in NYC.
Having studied under internationally renowned portrait artists, John Howard Sanden, David Leffel, Robert Beverly Hale, and Clyde Smith, she has developed her own style using classical museum quality techniques.
As a colorist, interpreting personalities through upbeat colors, Renee has incorporated magnificent South Florida tropical colors into her portraits, resulting in joyous life like paintings.
Accordion Book Workshop
Soo Hong
Soo Hong is a visual artist whose work explores issues surrounding cultural identity. Having lived and exhibited in places around the world, including, London, Shanghai, her native South Korea, and now the U.S., her experience of varying cultural norms and expectations has precipitated her observational practice. Her paintings represent an unbound freedom of expression released of any formal adherence to a determined identity.
Her work has been shown in galleries around the world, and she has been awarded grants from D&AD (London), GAP (Seattle), Bellevue Arts Program (Bellevue) and was a finalist for the Neddy Awards (Seattle). She had her solo shows in Seattle at Linda Hodges Gallery and AMcE Creative Arts gallery. Her work is part of the permanent collections at the Seattle-Tacoma International Airport, the city of Bellevue, and the city of Portland. She created public art installations for Redmond Lights, Odessa Children's Hospital (Seattle), and The Vera Project (Seattle).
Exploring Contemporary Asian Abstraction
Soo Hong
Soo Hong is a visual artist whose work explores issues surrounding cultural identity. Having lived and exhibited in places around the world, including, London, Shanghai, her native South Korea, and now the U.S., her experience of varying cultural norms and expectations has precipitated her observational practice. Her paintings represent an unbound freedom of expression released of any formal adherence to a determined identity.
Her work has been shown in galleries around the world, and she has been awarded grants from D&AD (London), GAP (Seattle), Bellevue Arts Program (Bellevue) and was a finalist for the Neddy Awards (Seattle). She had her solo shows in Seattle at Linda Hodges Gallery and AMcE Creative Arts gallery. Her work is part of the permanent collections at the Seattle-Tacoma International Airport, the city of Bellevue, and the city of Portland. She created public art installations for Redmond Lights, Odessa Children's Hospital (Seattle), and The Vera Project (Seattle).
Picture Book Illustration & Development
Maja Sereda
Maja Sereda is an environmental artist, teacher and coach. Born in Poland, Maja has dedicated her life to transcribing and sharing her experiences in nature. Working with pen, graphite, color pencils, charcoal and mixed media, her highly detailed drawings explore the myriad connections between human beings and the natural world. Her drawings have been shown throughout the US, Europe, and South Africa.
After studying graphic design at University of Pretoria and working as an art director in advertising agencies, both in South Africa and Ireland, Maja became an award-winning book illustrator. She has illustrated more than 20 books with many major publishers including Penguin Random House, Maskew Miller Longman, Oskar Editeur, Tafelberg & Lapa Publishers. Amongst others, she won the Crystal Kite award in 2011 and the Katrine Harries Award for best illustration for 2010. In 2012, she was also invited to illustrate a book with a French author, Yves Pinguilly titled La Grande Fleur (The Big Flower), followed by an invitation to Salon du Livre fair in Paris, France and La Reunion, where she showcased her books and led art workshops for children.
Now based in Seattle, Maja is a teaching artist and coach. With the outbreak of COVID, she began teaching drawing classes online. By investing deeply in her students’ work through highly individualized feedback, research and demonstrations, she nurtures an online community of over 250 artists.
With a deep passion for nature, drawing and community, Maja operates Guardians of the Jungle, a creative project which aims to save endangered wildlife and protect precarious ecosystems.